A Helping Hand

~~Midde-Earth~~

I knew it was a waste of time coming here. That hobbit blatantly refused to help my men and I on reclaiming Erebor, my home. I glare at Gandalf who is leaning on his staff deep in thought, like nothing had just happened.

We are all in a inn named The Green Dragon. Dwalin and Balin are sitting opposite me at the table drinking ale. Everyone else is roaming around the inn, waiting for something to happen. I was getting more annoyed. We had been here for a few hours now and still no sign of this halfing.

I watch as Gandalf at last, decides to approach me. I just glared at him as he sat down.

"It does appear that Bilbo will not turn up," said Gandalf quietly. "However, I think there is another way round this, if you just listen to what I'm about to tell you!"

I've known Gandalf for a while now and normally he was never wrong (or he liked to think that he wasn't.) As I watched him with hooded eyes, I knew he was up to something.

"I'm listening." I replied to him.

"There is another who can act like a burglar," Gandalf whispered the last part out and I raised my eyebrow "She is very agile, has had her own dealings with Orcs and other vile creatures in the night."

"Are you saying we bring a lady on this quest?" I asked Gandalf in disdain.

"Yes, and I know exactly what you are thinking Thorin! She has more or less fought all her life." Gandalf paused taking his time puffing his pipe very slowly. "There is something you should know about her though!"

"Oh, and what is that?" I replied sarcastically.

"She is an sorceress...but she isn't here but in another land. It is time to bring her back!"

"So, she is like you then!"

Gandalf glared at me.

"She is from your past Thorin and-,"

"What do you mean?" I interrupted him.

"You'll see. I suggest we hurry yes," said Gandalf getting up "We have not got all day."

o0o

~~Earth Present Day~~

~~Kat's POV~~

All my life, I have traveled throughout Middle-earth and Earth and have met strange and wonderful people. There were some that thought they were up themselves but I thought, everyone, was the same, whether they liked that or not.

My name is Katrina Ambrosius, the only daughter to Merlin who helped King Arthur out many times. Not that he acknowledged my father. Half the time he was unaware of my father's magic, as at that time, magic in Camelot was banned by King Arthur's father, King Uther.

I have long blonde hair that is held up in a braid, brown eyes 'that I got from my mothers side' full lips 'the only feature I like about myself' and was naturally slim, though I ate like a horse.

I had been in England for the past few years. Sometimes I saw my father but not often enough. He was guarding King Arthur's tomb. Some say King Arthur will one day come back. I have no idea if this story is true but nothing would surprise me.

The first time I went to Middle-earth was with my father who was good friends with the then King Thror, King of Erebor and his son Prince Thrain. It was a day that changed everyone's lives.

~~Flashback~~

I remember walking through the market place of Dale and saw many wonderful things. I was twenty two years of age and Merlin my father had insisted I should come with him.

I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was about to happen. I glanced at my father and saw he was frowning.

A shadow descends the massive gates of Erebor. My father hurriedly runs towards Erebor and I was very surprised, the guards let the both of us through. Merlin walks towards another door but I stay where I was. I knew something big was about to happen, and I was preparing myself, should I have to fight.

I saw two dwarves standing on the top of the mountainside and one was red haired with a strange beard and the other one had black hair and three braids in his hair, two on the side of his ears and one on his beard. I noticed he was watching me, with curiosity but my gaze shifted up to the sky. My gut feeling was about to unfold and I hated being right.

"Who are you?" asked the red haired dwarf.

I glanced at him and replied,

"My name is Katrina daughter of Merlin." before I looked up again, noticing it was a little breezy now.

"Ah, that's a relief, I thought you were a begger!" replied the dwarf.

I snorted at his cheek.

"Balin at your service and the quiet one is Prince Thorin son of Thror."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both!" I reply, bowing my head in acknowledgement to Balin and Prince Thorin who I noticed was still staring at me.

"Why do you keep looking up at the sky?" Thorin asked at last.

I decided to tell them both the truth, that I had a feeling something was about to happen and my hunch turned out to be true as I glanced up and saw a paper dragon kite being flown over Dale. There were many more kites but this particar kite caught my eye.

The breeze had picked up and was turning into a hurricane like wind, trees were being blown on the mountainside.

"Your hunch?" asked Thorin running up to me, looking at the sky.

"Yes," I replied to him "Just be prepared!"

Balin was on my other side and the three of us look for any sign of danger. We were suddenly aware when we heard a noise coming down from the North. The trees on the mountain creaked and cracked from the advancing wind. I had a terrible feeling of what was coming!

"Balin, sound the alarm. Call out the guard. Do it now!" shouted Thorin.

"What is it?" asked Balin.

Thorin looked at me with worry etched on his face before shouting to everyone nearby.

"Dragon. Dragon!"

A massive roar was heard and torrents of fire ran all over Erebor. What was once a lively mountainside, now turned into a battlefield. I heard screaming from below and my heart went out to each of the townspeople, as I knew I could not reach them in time.

A fire ball unexpectedly was heading towards Balin and I quickly pulled Balin towards me and hid him behind a pillar. With my hand, I used my telekinesis power and thurst the ball of fire up in the air out of harms way.

"Are you alright?" I asked Balin.

He looked a little dazed but I saw him give me a nod and a smile. I glanced at the sky again and knew a dragon was nearby.

Many of the kites I saw a little while ago, have been destroyed. The screaming in the town Dale are in fear and I know they are panicking. The dragon does not care where it goes, the more damage the dragon does, the more the people of Dale scream.. The dragon sets fire to many buildings and demolishes others. I saw a glimpse of red in the sky and realised the dragon was getting closer to us.

While Thorin and Balin run towards the halls of Erebor, I noticed a little girl who is crying her eyes out. She is trying to walk down the stairs where the danger is and I quickly run up to her and pick her up and head in the direction Thorin and Balin were heading.

"Shh, it will be alright!" I tried calming the little girl as I ran inside Erebor.

I followed Thorin who was now standing next to his father and my father and many guards. I gently soothed the little girl while everyone else was watching the doorway.

"Stand firm!" I heard Thorin say.

Fire bursts through cracks in the gates as the dragon tries breaking in.

"Princess Dis!" I heard someone say and I glance around and saw another noble looking dwarf walk up to me "She is my sister," he adds grabbing her before running of some place.

My attention soon goes back on the gates as I see the dragon has managed to break in. The dragon doesn't waste time and starts killing anyone who gets in it's way, by trampling or burning them. I saw the dragon head for Thorin and I quickly run towards him and push him out of the dragons way.

I watch the dragon as it breathes random fire at any unsuspecting person. I glance at Thorin, hoping I have not hurt him but the Prince acknowledges me with a small smile and a nod.

I follow Thorin through another room and realise this is the treasure room. I watch in shock as an elderly dwarf (who I would later know to be King Thror) was attempting to grab a massive jem and he manages to grab it. He then preceeds to run, only to see the dragon approch him. The dwarven King stumbles and trips over and by doing that, he drops his jem and watches it roll into a massive pile of gold coins.

"No!" I heard him shout out.

Thorin runs up to him and pulls him away from the treasure room. Before I follow Thorin, I glanced back and saw the dragon hovering over the gold and I realised this dragon seemed to be gloating over all this gold.

Running alongside Thorin and the others, I noticed Thorin look up ahead and I saw what he saw, a noble looking blonde haired elf riding on a deer just watching.

"Run for your lives! Help us!" Thorin shouts to this blonde elf.

The blonde elf just looks on like he is already bored and does nothing. I was disgusted by his cowardice. I barely knew these dwarves and yet I would not hesiate in helping them. Seeing this person ride of, doing nothing, made me realise that there really are some scumbags in this world as well.

I glance at Thorin and see his anger at the retreating blonde elf and his friends. I gently place my hand on his shoulder to reasure him that not everyone is fickle like that idiot was. He caught my gaze and for a second, I saw a ghost of a smile on his face but disappered when he returned his gaze on the retreating cowards.

I was very relieved to see my father walking among the dwarves but I stayed by Thorin's side as we continued walking through the vast swampy lands. Thorin stops on the mountainside as his men and women come towards him.

It took a while, but Thorin and his kin, did find somewhere else to live. They found another mountain which looked blue to me but it's real name was Ered Luin.

Thorin found work in a city of men, as a blacksmith. I remember watching him work on a sword with his mallet with increasing ferocity and anger. For he never forgave that blonde elf and he never forgot his home Erebor!

~~Flashback End~~

Those memories never left me and I often wondered how Thorin was faring. I flick through the channels, not really paying attention to the thunderstorm outside. It was strange, there was no warning on the weather channel that there was going to be a thunderstorm and yet here it was.

Of course it could also have something to do with my father but stop my wondering when I heard a loud noise, then a bang coming from another room.

Getting up slowly, I walk towards the muffled sounds of voices through the closed bedroom door. Without thinking, I pick up the nearest thing my hands could find and gingerly turned the handle and walked in.

What I saw startled me. There were two people in my bedroom. Both of them I instantly recognised but I did wonder, how they came here though.

"It has been a while Katrina." came a voice I knew all to well, standing opposite me, were Thorin Oakenshield and Gandalf the Grey.

Smiling a little, I reply,

"Yes it has."

There was a strange atmosphere in the air as Thorin watched me while Gandalf chuckled.

"It is wonderful to see you again Gandalf." I remark to Gandalf, before embracing him with warm affection.

"And you my dear." grinned Gandalf, returning my embrace.

"I did say I would one day drop by unannounced Katrina, that day is today." said Gandalf.

"So your the one making this weather act like this then!" I asked him, seeing Gandalf shake his head.

"No child," I rolled my eyes at being called a 'child' "That is your fathers doing, though he did point me in the right direction as to where you reside now. You certainly are hard to find Katrina!" mused Gandalf.

~~Thorin's POV~~

When we arrived in this strange room, I was still angry with this wild goose chase. What could a woman 'a sorceress apparently' do! Except to charm anyone who comes near her. When I saw the door open and saw the lady that Gandalf said could help us, I instantly felt guilty at my eariler thoughts.

There stood a face I have not seen in such a long time, Katrina Ambrosius. The lady who not only helped me and my kin, but she has had already earned my respect for her. Katrina has hardly changed since I last saw her.

Her blonde hair was tied up in a long braid, she wore strange clothes of a black type of trousers and had a purple top on. She was slim, but it was her eyes I was watching, her brown eyes drew me in instantly. Those eyes held many secrets and I wanted to be the one who knew them.

"Well you should know me by now Gandalf," I heard her say "I like traveling."

"You are still searching for her aren't you Katrina?"

My ears picked up then.

'What did Gandalf mean?' I thought to myself 'Who is she searching for?'

"I've never stopped!" Katrina whispered, looking at the floor.

"Tell me something my dear,, do you like adventures?"

"It all depends on the adventure!" she replied, watching Gandalf and I with twinkle in her eye.

I glanced at Gandalf with disdain, we were not going on an adventure, we were reclaiming Erebor. I caught Katrina look back at me with a bemused look on her face. I then heard Gandalf say everything about our quest and I watched her who never interrupted Gandalf once, until when he had finished.

"And you are all going to reclaim Erebor?" asked Katrina.

"Yes we are!" I replied noticing I sounded harsh, which I instantly regreted.

"And you say Bilbo Baggins won't help you?"

"It appears that way," sighed Gandalf "I was certain he would change his mind."

I watch her intently, it appears she was mulling something over.

"Hmm, looks like he needs convincing again!"

"I thought you would say that Katrina." said Gandalf.

Gandalf had a smile on his face but I did not. I did not mind Katrina coming with us, as I knew she could take care of herself but this hobbit would only hinder us on our travels. Gandalf seemed so sure that this Mister Baggins would drop everything and come with us, but look what happened? He never showed up!

Katrina quickly finds a bag and fills all her clothes and other items in it. I was reassured she was coming with us.

"When do we leave?" asked Katrina.

"Now!" said Gandalf.

Katrina quickly brushed past me and she grabbed a sword that was hanging on a wall. She then picked up two small knifes that were cleverly hidden from her books and put all her weapons on her belt.

"Well I'm ready when you are." she said and I grinned.

Yes, I was pleased to see my old friend but I had no idea how she could convince our burglar to come with us. Even Gandalf had failed. Time will tell if he would indeed come with us.